Understanding château fact sheets
Quality (max. 5 stars)
This evaluation compares a given château to all other Bordeaux estates, taking into account essential parameters such as the overall quality (score) and the wine's regularity over the years (standard deviation). In our model, the score counts for 70% and regularity 30%.
Grape varieties
Percentages correspond to the area under the vine for each variety. These proportions can vary, depending on the vintage, when it comes time to make the final blend prior to bottling.
Comparison chart within the appellation
This chart shows changes in a given château's scores for each vintage (blue line) compared with the average quality of other estates in the same appellation (horizontal red line). It also shows if a wine is better (above the red line), or worse (below the red line) than other wines in the appellation for that year. Of course, it makes more sense to buy a wine located above, rather than below, the red line. By connecting all the points on the chart, you can determine a château's quality over time compared to the appellation average. The pink straight line on the graph illustrates this trend. The value of this line's R2 linear trend is obtained by calculating the regression, y=mx+b, of the château’s scores. This chart reflects important changes (such as new viticultural practices, new management, etc.) which affect quality.
Château score table
Average score
This table, on the château’s fact sheet (please see the «Comparison Chart within the Appellation» mentioned above), shows an estate’s absolute annual average score.
Absolute score
This column shows the average of all the scores awarded by well-known, international professional tasters (critics, journalists, sommeliers, négociants, etc.). To see the list of experts, please click here: : http://www.winemega.com/contributors.htm
The scores awarded by these experts are transposed onto a 100-point joint scale. When referring to the absolute score, please note that this should only be compared to other wines in the same appellation and from the same year. Comparing the scores of two different years from the same château is not necessarily relevant.
Statistical data
Quality within the appellation (max. 5 stars)
Quality within an appellation is determined by a château's overall evaluation compared to other estates in the same appellation. However, the difference that may arise in the number of stars attributed to the same château stem from the fact that this model exclusively compares the quality of the château with other estates in the same appellation. For example, in certain instances, an estate in the Moulis appellation can have four stars when compared to other wines in Moulis, but only two stars when compared to the 350 estates in Bordeaux we regularly monitor. Our calculations take the main parameters such as overall quality (score) and consistency over the years (standard deviation) into account. Our weighted calculation thus attributes 70% to the score, as such, and 30% to regularity.
The calculation method is similar to that used to determine the château's overall quality (stars attributed next to the name of the château at the top of the fact sheet).
However, the difference that may arise in the number of stars attributed to the same château stem from the fact that this model exclusively compares the quality of the château with other estates in the same appellation. For example, in certain instances, an estate in the Moulis appellation can have four stars when compared to other wines in Moulis, but only two stars when compared to the 350 estates in Bordeaux we regularly monitor.
Our calculations take the main parameters such as overall quality (score) and consistency over the years (standard deviation) into account. Our weighted calculation thus attributes 70% to the score, as such, and 30% to regularity.
Regularity (max. 5 stars)
The more varied a château’s scores for each vintage, the more irregular it is considered (high standard deviation), On the contrary, the closer together they are (low standard deviation), the more regular it is considered.
Price/quality ratio (max. 5 stars)
Price/quality ratio is determined by calculating the nonlinear regressions. This calculation measures the difference between a wine's current price and its fair retail price over the ten most recent vintages based on the following formula: Logarithmic price = a*score + b*(score)2 + the appellation dummy variable.
Investment value (max. 5 stars)
This is a wine’s market value appreciation over a 10 year period, with 1990 as the reference year. The château's investment performance (increased value of XX% over a decade), is evaluated according to the following criteria:
| < 10% | 11%<>20% | 21%<>30% | 31%<>50% | 51% et + |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
In case of insufficient data for the 1990 vintage, the 2000 vintage is used as a reference year. Prices, in Euros, are taken from the VinorumCodex price guide. - http://www.vinorumcodex.com
Long term trend
This increase determines if the quality trend over the past ten years has been stable, bullish, or bearish.
| If R2 < 0.20 | = «  » |
| If R2 > 0.21 < 0.50 | = «  » or «  » depending on the curve |
| If R2 > 0.51 | = «  » or «  » depending on the curve |
The value of the R2 linear trend is obtained by calculating the y=mx+b regression of the château’s scores.
Price range (US DOLLARS)
This is the range of a chateau's market prices on a futures basis since 2000.
Ranking within an appellation
Châteaux are compared to all other estates in the same appellation, combining their cumulative scores over the past 10 years. Only châteaux for which we have at least 10 years’ worth of scores are included in our database. This classification is therefore not exhaustive. However, it will be regularly updated, and other wines introduced, over time, as the number of châteaux for which we have 10 years’ worth of data increases. This ranking is recalculated every year, taking the most recent available vintage into account.
Please note!
Although they are most often in agreement, evaluations in the “Quality within the Appellation” and “Ranking within the Appellation” categories can occasionally differ. This is especially true of inconsistent châteaux which, thanks to high scores in certain fine vintages, have a good rank within the appellation. However, such châteaux do not end up with very many stars because of their inconsistency over a 10 year period. Therefore, the two scores should be considered as complementary.
Analysis and tasting notes
These comments combine Alain Bringolf’s opinion of the château and important information about the estate, as well as statistical analysis and interpretation of these results for each château, including:
- quality (both overall and within the appellation)
- regularity over the 10 most recent vintages
- price/quality ratio
- long term quality trend
- investment value
Viticulture and winemaking
Hectares under vine
Vineyard area
Vine density / hectare
This denotes the number of vines per hectare. The density varies according to the characteristics of the soil and grape variety. In terroirs with the same grape variety and soil type, greater density is generally considered to produce better quality grapes.
Average age of the vines
Older vines (more than 10 years old) produce more concentrated grapes, better suited to producing great wines than young vines. Grapes from the latter are often used to produce the château’s second wine.
Average yield
Low yields often lead to better wine. Normally measured in hectolitres / hectare, an average yield should, logically-speaking, only be compared with estates that have a similar terroir. This is because there can be significant differences between appellations with regard to vine density. Some countries measure yields in terms of kilos/vine.
Aging in new barrels
This is the percentage of new oak and average duration of barrel ageing. Aging methods have a significant influence on style.
Viticulture
Winegrowing techniques are divided into 4 main categories:
- traditional
- integrated pest management (pesticides and other chemical sprays are used sparingly, and only when necessary)
- organic (pesticides and other chemicals are completely avoided)
- biodynamic (similar to organic, but based on anthroposophical principles)
Handpicking
This often improves quality, primarily thanks to meticulous sorting during the harvest. However, recent developments in mechanical harvesters must not be overlooked. In fact, these days, some estates use both manual picking and machine harvesting, depending on the plot.
Average duration of maceration
This is the length of time the wine stays on its skins in vat during alcoholic fermentation to extract tannin and pigments.
Average annual production
This is the number of bottles produced each year. Obviously, this figure can vary significantly from vintage to vintage.
Aging potential
This table shows how long to keep a wine before it reaches its peak (i.e. maximum complexity and balance). These estimations are based on the intersection matrix of the quality of the wine and the quality of the vintage in the same appellation.
Please note that these estimations also depend on external factors, especially how the wine has been stored (quality of the cellar) and traceability (ability to keep track of exactly where the wine went, and under what conditions, after bottling). However, in no instance can these estimations be seen to constitute any sort of guarantee as to a wine’s quality.
Benchmark vintages
These are red letter years when the quality of the wine was judged to be far above the château’s average. Appreciations of vintages before 1997 are based on estimations generally accepted by international experts. Ones for vintages after 1997 are determined by StatWine.com based on various statistical data.
Food / wine matches
These are ideas for dishes that go particularly well with the wine.
Tasting notes
Château tasting notes. Simply click the previous or following vintage to read the tasting notes for those years. Comments are mainly written by Alain Bringolf. Where this is not the case, the source and date are provided at the top of the notes.
Photos and labels of the château
